US Patent 10253637 Method and system for improving turbine blade performance

A turbine blade is described herein, the turbine blade including a blade root, a blade tip, and an airfoil extending between the blade root and the blade tip. The airfoil has opposite pressure and suction sides extending between a forward leading edge and an aft trailing edge of the airfoil, and a maximum thickness located between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The blade tip includes a winglet extending laterally outward from at least one of the pressure side and the suction side from a leading point between the leading edge and the maximum thickness aftward to a trailing point between the maximum thickness and the trailing edge.